Washington statute
RCW 9A.42.080 — Abandonment of a dependent person in the third degree—Exception
Current through 2026 Regular Session
Part of Chapter 9A.42: Criminal Mistreatment, Revised Code of Washington.
Criminal charges under this statute
Full text of RCW 9A.42.080
Statutory text current through the 2026 Regular Session. This publication reproduces the official text of the Revised Code of Washington from the Code Reviser's published files; it is not the official statutes of the State of Washington.
(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, a person is guilty of the crime of abandonment of a dependent person in the third degree if:
(a) The person is the parent of a child, a person entrusted with the physical custody of a child or other dependent person, a person who has assumed the responsibility to provide to a dependent person the basic necessities of life, or a person employed to provide to the child or dependent person any of the basic necessities of life; and
(b) The person recklessly abandons the child or other dependent person; and:
(i) As a result of being abandoned, the child or other dependent person suffers bodily harm; or
(ii) Abandoning the child or other dependent person creates an imminent and substantial risk that the child or other person will suffer substantial bodily harm.
(2) A parent of a newborn who transfers the newborn to a qualified person at an appropriate location pursuant to RCW 13.34.360 is not subject to criminal liability under this section.
(3) Abandonment of a dependent person in the third degree is a gross misdemeanor.
Official sources
Legal terms used in this section
Questions this section answers
Is abandonment of a dependent person in the third degree a felony or a misdemeanor in Washington?
Abandonment of a dependent person in the third degree is a Gross Misdemeanor in Washington under RCW 9A.42.080.
Which Washington statute covers abandonment of a dependent person in the third degree?
Abandonment of a dependent person in the third degree is governed by RCW 9A.42.080 (Abandonment of a dependent person in the third degree—Exception).
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.